Help! I don’t know what size of baby sling to order. I fall in between sizes when I use the size calculator…

Most people can wear more than one size of baby sling from Slinglings. There is one perfect size for every body, but every one has their own preferences and we can’t guarantee a perfect fit the first time. You are welcome to order more than one size of sling and compare the fit to find your preferred size, then return or exchange the size that you like least well. We make size exchanges as quick and painless as possible, we even cover the return shipping on your new sling for the first exchange per order!

To find your Slinglings size–

You should first use the size calculator to see what the average size is for our previous customers close in size to you. Then measure yourself from shoulder to hip with a soft tape measure if possible. Follow our easy measuring instructions here. Be sure not to measure too low on your hip! You should end your measurement at the top of your hip, in line with your belly button! Compare that shoulder to hip measurement to the average given by our size database. If your shoulder to hip measurement is higher than the average size, then round up to the nearest whole number. If your shoulder to hip measurement is lower than the average size, then round down to the nearest whole number. Here are some more reasons to round up or down–

Reasons to round down from the size calculator average:

1. • You prefer a high, snug fit.
2. • You will only be wearing the sling in the hip carry (ages 6 months and up)
3. • You will wash the sling in cold water and air dry *every time*.
4. • You have lower back problems (a high, snug fit is more comfortable for your back than a loose, low fit!)
5. • You have a short torso
6. • You have narrow, sloping, or rounded shoulders.
7. • You carry more weight below the waist than average. (i.e., you have big hips, a “pear” shaped body type, or a big ol’ behind!)
8. • You have a preemie or low birth weight baby.
9. • You will wear the sling with single layer, lightweight tops, or you will wear your extra layers over the sling, with the front open.

Reasons to round up from the size calculator average:

1. • You plan on occasionally washing in warm water or putting the sling in the dryer (this only applies to cotton slings, and shrinkage rates vary. We can not guarantee your shrinkage results and we can not exchange washed slings.)
2. • You will be wearing your sling beginning with an older infant in the cradle carry. A large infant in the cradle carry needs the most room in the sling, because their body is entirely in the sling. Once in the hip carry, at 6 months, you may need a smaller size if you choose to round up (or shrink your current sling)
3. • You are buying your sling primarily for breastfeeding an infant in the cradle carry, you may appreciate having a little more room, especially if you have large breasts.
4. • You have especially broad, square shoulders.
5. • You will wear the sling with heavy layers or multiple layers of clothing.
6. • If you plan to share the pouch with someone *very* close in size to you, you may be able to buy one size in between the recommended sizes (i.e., you are a 23, your partner is a 25, you may be able to get by with a 24. We do not recommend this, and the sling won’t be a perfect fit for either parent, but it will be usable)
7. • You have gained a lot of extra pregnancy weight and aren’t sure how quickly you will lose it
8. • You would like a low, loose fit. ***We do not recommend a low loose fit! A low fitting pouch sling is not as comfortable or secure for either the wearer or the baby. Babies love the cozy swaddled feeling of a snug baby sling! I guarantee that your newborn will be less fussy in a well fitting pouch than in a loose pouch. In addition, it is extremely difficult to keep a newborn positioned correctly in a loose pouch. A loose pouch in the cradle carry will most definitely be too large in the hip carry.
9. • Please do not go up more than one size from the average our database gives. The resulting sling will most likely be unwearable, especially in the hip carry. A snug fit is always preferable over a loose fit!

The sling size is based upon the size of the person wearing the sling, not the size or age of the baby. One size of sling, when sized correctly, will fit from birth until toddlerhood assuming that the wearer does not gain or lose a substantial amount of weight. A newborn is cradled with their entire body enclosed in the sling. Once the baby has some head control, at about 3 months of age, they can have their head out of the sling. Once the baby has some trunk control and can sit up assisted, at about 4 to 6 months old, they will be held with their legs out of the sling. The baby will continue to be carried in this legs-out position until you can no longer carry the baby, at 30 to 35 lbs. This means the same sling will fit your baby from birth until 2 or more years of age.

When in doubt, round down! Since it is nearly impossible to wear a sling that is too small, it is more common for a pouch to be worn too big, which affectively pushes the average of our database upwards. Slings that are too small are nearly always exchanged, while slings that are too large aren’t always exchanged.

Please don’t order based solely upon your shoulder to hip measurement, as it is very difficult for most customers to decide where to measure “to and from”. If your shoulder to hip measurement is vastly different from our size database results, please email us for advice! Info@slinglings.com